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Harris County, TX, March 18, 2024, Judge Lina Hidalgo is at the White House today to attend the Women’s History Month Reception attended by President Joe Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as elected officials and advocates from across the country. 

“It’s important for me to attend this year’s reception because we have much to celebrate and also a lot of work ahead of us. During Women’s History Month, it is disheartening that our state leaders are rolling back Texas women’s rights every day, as we saw with the recent Texas Supreme Court ruling in Cox v. Texas, where Kate Cox was unable to receive an abortion in Texas after her baby was diagnosed with a fatal condition that threatened Cox’s life and reproductive health. Over 80 percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal in at least some circumstances, yet Texas leaders have banned abortion in nearly all circumstances. That’s why I am proud to stand alongside the Biden-Harris administration in this critical fight. I couldn’t be more grateful for a presidential administration that delivers in protecting all women, including the 2.5 million women in Harris County,” said Judge Lina Hidalgo. 

With support from the Biden-Harris Administration and the American Rescue Plan, Harris County has worked to:

• Expand access to reproductive healthcare and improve reproductive healthcare outcomes among low-income and uninsured Harris County residents through the Reproductive Health Care Access Fund. This fund is expected to serve at least 20,000 people by providing reproductive health education and outreach, as well as increasing clinical services like STI testing.
• Tackle maternal and infant mortality, especially among Black mothers and babies, by providing evidence-based programs like individualized home healthcare support, including counseling and, prenatal care and job placement assistance, for pregnant women and mothers with infants, through both the Maternal and Child Health Program and the Black Maternal Health Cohort of ACCESS Harris. Combined, these programs are expected to serve at least 300 mothers.
• Increase opportunities for high-quality child care available in Harris County by training more providers and upgrading infrastructure, which helps women secure a better future for themselves and their families. Through programs like Early REACH and the Early Learning Quality Networks (ELQN), the county is expected to address child care “deserts'' in” in Harris County by creating approximately 5,000 high-quality childcare slots over the next several years.

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